The deaths were reported from Nedumudi, Cheruthana, Karuvatta, Karthikappally, Ambalapuzha south, Punnapra south and Thakazhi.
Published Dec 23, 2025 | 11:43 AM ⚊ Updated Dec 23, 2025 | 11:43 AM
Bird flu. Representational image. (iStock)
Synopsis: Bird flu has struck Kerala’s Alappuzha and Kottayam districts, killing over 20,000 ducks in Kuttanad. Outbreaks were confirmed in multiple wards after tests in Thiruvalla and Bhopal. The Health Department launched emergency containment and surveillance measures as affected ducks showed avian influenza symptoms, prompting urgent government intervention to curb further spread.
Bird flu has been confirmed in eight wards of Alappuzha district and three wards in Kottayam, prompting the Health Department to initiate emergency containment measures.
More than 20,000 ducks have died due to the outbreak in Kuttanad, the Union Ministry of Animal Husbandry informed the state government.
The deaths were reported from Nedumudi, Cheruthana, Karuvatta, Karthikappally, Ambalapuzha south, Punnapra south and Thakazhi. The ducks reportedly showed symptoms of avian influenza before dying.
Initial tests conducted at a laboratory in Thiruvalla returned positive results, which were later confirmed by the animal disease laboratory in Bhopal.
Following confirmation, authorities stepped up surveillance and containment operations in the affected areas.
In April 2024, broiler chickens, egg chickens, peacocks, crows, and other birds fell victim to the fast-spreading bird flu virus, a strain of H5N1, in Kerala.
The state reported 37 epicentres (Alappuzha – 29, Kottayam – 5 and Pathanamthitta – 3) with a staggering death toll of 62,334 birds across the three districts.
To curb the spread, authorities had to cull an additional 1,87,880 birds. At that time, an expert committee, comprising specialists from Animal Husbandry and scientists from the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, emphasised the strict implementation of the 2021 National Action Plan for bird flu prevention and control.
In April 2025, a child lost his life after contracting H5N1 in Andhra Pradesh, and a series of avian flu outbreaks were reported across multiple states, According to the Ministry of Animal Husbandry, the bird flu crisis in India has entered a worrisome new phase.
The virus, traditionally confined to poultry, is now infecting a range of non-poultry species—including tigers, leopards, jungle cats, and even pet cats—signalling an alarming cross-species transmission.
